KUCHING: The Commercial Crime Investigation Department has advised contractors to beware of dubious contracts in which the state’s name is used.

Recently, the department received a report by a local contractor who claimed he was conned of RM20mil because of non-payment after he fulfilled a so-called government contract outside the state.

The department’s chief Supt Mohd Firdaus Abdullah said the contract, purportedly awarded to the victim in early April last year by a certain ministry, was completed by the victim’s company in November of the same year.

“On completion of the project, he wanted to claim the RM20mil, but his claim was not entertained. This prompted him to check with the ministry. He later discovered that his company had been conned as the perpetrators had forged documents and used the ministry’s letterheads,” said Supt Firdaus.

The contractor claimed the job award letter came from the ministry in Kuala Lumpur, he said. The award letter and other documents were handed over to the contractor by a few persons who claimed to be well-connected with the ministry and he had no doubt that the deal and the documents were genuine, Supt Firdaus added.

“He sensed something was amiss only after he encountered difficulties in claiming payments after completion of the work.

“In November last year, he went to the ministry and was shocked to discover that the ministry was not aware of the contract and the letterheads had been forged.

“It is not known whether the ministry had made payments to undesirable parties.

“The police will make some arrests soon and interview people in the ministry to find out if payments had been made under the contract,” said Supt Firdaus.